Timeisonmyside Rebounds With Keystone Classic Win
Still disappointed by his sickness scratch from the Little Brown Jug, Timeisonmyside took out his frustration on his rivals in Saturday’s Keystone Classic at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows, rolling to an easy 3-1/2-length victory. Solid Character captured the other $45,878 division of the stakes for three-year-old colt and gelding pacers.
The Jug scratch hurt even more because Timeisonmyside already had drawn the rail for his elimination. But Tim Twaddle, who trains the Captain Crunch-Macharoundtheclock gelding for Thestable Timeisonmyside, said the decision to scratch didn’t require much soul-searching.
“He came up sick,” said Twaddle. “He didn’t eat his breakfast and we didn’t want to risk going there, shipping him there early and then potentially racing him two heats. As badly as we wanted to go, it would certainly have hurt the horse. It’s tough to get over, though his win today helps.”
In the Keystone Classic, Timeisonmyside quarter-poled to the top for Aaron Merriman and triumphed in 1:49.3, matching his career best, with Captain Fear Not and Dream Bird second and third, respectively.
Twaddle indicated Timeisonmyside, who lifted his lifetime earnings to $359,571, will be pointed to the Breeders Crown.
Solid Character gave the cold shoulder to Rush In when that one tried to overtake him at the quarter, forcing Rush In to retreat to the pylons. That decision by Ronnie Wrenn Jr. proved wise, as Solid Character cruised to a two-length win over Rush In in 1:49.2, a lifetime mark. De La Hoya Hanover finished third.
Wrenn declined to characterize his quarter-pole denial as “hardball.”
“I thought it was kind of a two-horse race,” said Wrenn. “I just wanted to control the pace.”
Ron Burke conditions the Sweet Lou-Riley Character gelding for Burke Racing Stable, Robert Jackson, Timothy Sullivan and Tom Wilson.
In Saturday’s $28,649 Open Handicap Pace, Surreal Ideal followed live first-over cover to a 1:50.1 victory — his fifth win in his last six starts —for Hunter Myers, trainer Vernon Beachy and owners 518 Group and Gitup Racing. The six-year-old So Surreal-Jkmusicofthenite gelding now boasts a career bankroll of $312,606. Santana Hanover and double millionaire Charlie May rounded out the ticket.
Dave Palone collected five wins on the 13-race card, giving him 11 over the last two programs.
Next week, The Meadows kicks off its fall/winter live schedule, which features racing each Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, with first post at 12:45 p.m. each day. The exception is the card on Friday, Oct. 11, which is highlighted by the Pennsylvania Fairs championships. First post that day is 5:10 p.m.
(Meadows Standardbred Owners Association)